Who We Are
We are a professional self-defense instruction company dedicated to providing personal safety for all. We offer individual private training, as well as seminars & workshops for interested executives, corporations, schools, medical facilities, and professional sport franchises, across the continental United States.
Our mission is to help people from all walks of life live confidently in their world. Thereby enriching their lives with a greater sense of freedom.
How? By teaching practical knowledge, skills and proven self-protection strategies that help anyone feel more secure.
Our system is custom-tailored to fit the needs and abilities of every individual. And our self-defense tools are easily learned to give the powerful advantage of preparation when confronted with unexpected danger.
The one commonality in every violent encounter is chaos. Our training provides solutions to help navigate through that chaos so that people can get home safely to their loved ones.
Chief Instructor: Gus Bottazzi
Gus Bottazzi is a 35-year veteran of the martial arts, holding multiple black belts in Japanese karate and Israeli Krav Maga, the hand-to-hand combat system of the Israeli Army.
Gus is a black belt who has the distinction of training and being certified as a global instructor by three direct students of Krav Maga’s founder, Imi Lichtenfeld. He is also certified through 5 of the most respected Krav Maga federations in the world (Krav Maga Worldwide, IKMA, IKM-AC, Krav Maga Academy, CT-707).
A sought-after self-defense instructor and self-defense strategy speaker, Gus has given numerous workshops and seminars internationally to audiences ranging from law enforcement to women’s empowerment organizations. Over the last 15 years, Gus has also designed and implemented his proprietary “Essentials” self-defense training program and methodology that has been taught to thousands of college bound students.
Gus is more than just a highly experienced teacher–he is a problem solver with a mission to help reduce the number of victims of violent crimes every day. His goal is to instill the knowledge of self-defense and self-protection to all students he teaches and build the confidence necessary for people to stay vigilant: To Feel Safe and Live Free.
Meet Our Instructors
Corporate Krav Maga has assembled a diverse team of instructors each of whom have decades of experience in the martial arts and self-defense. Drawing from such disciplines as Karate, Kung Fu, American Boxing, Judo, and, of course, Krav Maga, we bring best of situational strategies and tactical drill work to every training session.
We are privileged to have studied with direct students of Imi Lichtenfeld, Krav Maga’s founder. Our instructors also have multiple certifications across the major international Krav Maga federations. Having this breadth of perspective on the various techniques taught across the world, our instructors can customize solutions to fit the physicality and experience of each student.
Instructor: Joseph Malizia
With over 14 years of Martial Arts experience, Joseph holds Krav Maga instructor certifications from both, KMF-AC & IKM Academy, as well as having a belted background in Shaolin Kempo Kung Fu. Joseph is a black belt who has trained under several of the country’s most respected masters of Israeli Krav Maga, which includes direct descendants of its founder, Imi Lichtenfeld.
Instructor: Ed Petrillo
Edward is a U.S. Army veteran who served in the 82nd Airborne Division as a Paratrooper. Having deployed to the Middle East in 2016, he specialized as an Expert Infantryman who conducted over 75 combat patrols providing personal security for VIPs within high value meetings with Afghan National Army Generals and staff. When not teaching Krav Maga self-defense to students, Ed is an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) who is certified in Tactical Emergency Casualty Care for Law Enforcement Officers (LEO) and Emergency Medical Responders (EMR).
Instructor: Dannie Phillips
Dannie began her Krav journey in 2011, training under Gus Bottazzi in Connecticut. She earned her instructor’s certification and taught Krav Maga and other fitness classes for several years. After moving to Florida, she continued to train and teach self-defense locally. Her favorite strike is the roundhouse kick! She lives in Sarasota with her husband and two children.
I had the opportunity to train with Gus on two occasions.
The first was a series of private lessons to attain a greater sense of safety as a woman working in complex security environments. During these sessions I acquired a solid foundation of techniques that I could instinctually draw upon if necessary. Gus crafted his lessons to ensure the training was tailored to my needs, and to ensure we programmed muscle memory so that techniques would be immediately available and effective.
Gus will not teach you Hollywood flair. Gus WILL teach you what works. Because he knows. And because he is deeply committed to ensuring that you do not become a victim. Decades of training and teaching have made Gus a master of his craft and a formidable instructor.
When I was asked to recommend self-defense training for a teenage family member preparing for college, I referred the student to Gus without hesitation. On this occasion Gus provided his six course “Essentials” program. Both the teen and her mother had no prior experience in self-defense, and I witnessed them evolve from timid and hesitant to confident and very capable. Knowing that both women have the skills to escape a dangerous encounter and to fight back, if necessary, provides immeasurable comfort and confidence to all family members, for which we are grateful.
Instructor qualities include patience, attentiveness, calmness, commitment to safety and an awareness of individual student needs. The “Essentials” course builds progressively, and Gus prepares students physically and mentally for each evolution. Gus is dedicated to providing real world training rather than theory. He subjected himself to frequent strikes from students, leading me to conclude that he was made of steel. The realism in these experiences, coupled with effective drills and discussions, form an excellent program that I would enthusiastically recommend to any age, gender, profession, or level of experience.
A few years ago, we had Gus in as a corporate event. The event was a combination of lecture/instruction as well as physical demonstrations.
Gus was very well spoken. Immediately you knew he was at the top of his game. He would demonstrate defense techniques and then the group would be instructed to apply what they learned. This was very engaging and effective. These are techniques that will work for anyone, not just strong and trained people in the martial arts.
This was a standout presentation that was well received and remembered. Gus has my highest recommendation.
A few years ago, we had Gus in as a corporate event. The event was a combination of lecture/instruction as well as physical demonstrations.
Gus was very well spoken. Immediately you knew he was at the top of his game. He would demonstrate defense techniques and then the group would be instructed to apply what they learned. This was very engaging and effective. These are techniques that will work for anyone, not just strong and trained people in the martial arts.
This was a standout presentation that was well received and remembered. Gus has my highest recommendation.
We had Gus join a meeting of approximately 30 insurance agents. It was such a relief from our typical riveting insurance lectures. Gus is passionate about self-defense, and it showed in the very first minute of his hour-long of presentation. If you are looking for a great team building event look no further. Also, it’s not a bad thing for traveling salespeople like our group that go into homes of people we don’t know to learn a few things to get themselves out of unwanted situations.